tripping

Verb

trip (third-person singular simple present trips, present participle tripping, simple past and past participle tripped)

1. (intransitive) To fall over or stumble over an object as a result of striking it with one's foot
   • Be careful not to trip on those tree roots. You tripped over the cat and fell downstairs just last week.
2. (sometimes, transitive) To cause (a person or animal) to fall or stumble by knocking their feet from under them.
   • A pedestrian was able to trip the burglar as he was running away.
3. (intransitive) To be guilty of a misstep or mistake; to commit an offence against morality, propriety, etc
   • And the Pharasay / Then durst nothynge say, / But let the matter slyp, / And made truth to tryp;c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 66, lines 152–155
4. (obsolete, transitive) To detect in a misstep; to catch; to convict.
   • These her women can trip me if I err.1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard...
5. (transitive) To activate or set in motion, as in the activation of a trap, explosive, or switch.
   • When we get into the factory, trip the lights.
6. (intransitive) To be activated, as by a signal or an event
   • The alarm system tripped, throwing everyone into a panic.

See all 33 meanings of trip